www.mississippilink.com VOL. 22, NO. 18 FEBRUARY 25 - MARCH 2, 2016 50¢ BLACK M O NT H History Canton courtroom Murray addresses honors Brown-Wright youth By Stephanie R. Jones Contributing Writer Jasmine Murray, Miss Mississippi 2014, is con- tinuing the platform she focused on during her reign. Speaking at New Hope Baptist Church’s third series of Black His- tory Month programs Feb. 18, her message was designed to encourage girls and young women to think positively about themselves and to make Murray good life choices. The theme of the program was “Youth Heritage Night: Committed to Moving Forward.” She told the audience honoring the past and people who came before us is necessary. “Without your past you wouldn’t be the person you are today,” Murray said. “Even though I tell you to honor your past, don’t dwell on it either. Take advantage of the day you have right now. Focus on everything to prepare for your future,” the Columbus native said. She said finding one’s gift is key. “God gave me a passion for music,” said Murray, who was the first Flonzie Brown-Wright discusses the experience blacks had in the 1960s attempting to register to vote. Blacks had to pull a random question out of a cigar Mississippian to become a finalist on the TV show box in Canton. PHOTO BY SHANDERIA K. POSEb “American Idol.” “Whatever your passion, it’s from New Hope By Shanderia K. Posey failed him every time. Brown-Wright says that Editor Continued on page 11B on his death bed, the superintendent called for Flonzie Brown-Wright, 73, a Mississippi her father and apologized for what he had done, civil rights icon who fearlessly worked to get telling her dad, “Will you forgive me ‘cause ev- blacks registered to vote in the 1960s, has been ery time you took that test, you passed, but we recognized numerous times for her work. were not ready to allow a black man, a colored She was the first African-American woman to man to unstop a toilet with a license.” be elected to public office in Mississippi since Eventually, her dad did receive his license. City, state Reconstruction. Around 1965, Brown-Wright was Can- But this Friday’s event – the dedication of a ton’s NAACP branch manager. Typically, she Canton City Hall courtroom in her honor – may denied his plumber’s and electrician’s license brought groups to the Madison County Court- issue water surpass previous recognitions. about 60 years ago. Her father took the test to The courtroom in City Hall is also the same receive the license three times in the room, and Courtroom place where her father – Frank Brown Sr. – was though he passed every time, the superintendent Continued on page 12B warnings From Staff Reports The city of Jackson addressed concerns about Historic Colored AHA chooses Tougaloo College lead in the city’s water system Wednesday. In a press release, the city reported that Jack- son’s water has not been deemed unsafe. However, Women’s Club students for scholars program pregnant women and small children should follow the Mississippi Department of Health’s recommen- The Mississippi Link Newswire dations for prevention of lead exposure from drink- still growing The American Heart As- ing water. By Natalie Bell sociation/American Stroke The city was notified by the MSDH Jan. 28, that Contributing Writer Association has chosen four random water samples from 13 out of 58 homes Tougaloo College students to Like their “colored,” educated and middle- showed lead above the actionable levels of 0.015. 2016 class of the AHA’s His- class forerunners, who saw that they were no The agency retrieved the samples in June 2015 and torically Black Colleges and better than anyone else until the whole race of received the results in July 2015. Universities Scholars Pro- black people worked together to pull one another The city is taking additional compliance mea- gram. up, new inductees of the National Association of Pictured are RaChard Brown (from left), Dr. Mario Sims, Dr. Delores sures, including more frequent sampling and tak- Tougaloo College is the Bolden-Stamps, vice president of Institutional Advancement; Dr. Colored Women Clubs continue to pick up and ing measures to mitigate the reaction of the finished first HBCU in Mississippi to Asoka Srinivasan, interim provost; Dr. Donna Antoine-Lavigne, Dr. proclaim the club’s motto: “Lifting as we climb.” water with piping, plumbing and service lines. Mit- be chosen for the program Mario Sims, Alexis Martin, Dr. Clifton Addison, Kendrique Morgan, Established in 1896, NACWC is the nation’s igation measures typically include implementation and only the third in the na- Dr. Ervin Fox, Dr. Beverly Hogan, Tougaloo president; and Dr. oldest African-American civic organization and of flushing programs and optimizing corrosion con- tion since the launch of the Wendy White. Caitlyn Beasley is not pictured because she was in 2010 still reigned among the country’s top 10 trol during the treatment process. Jackson’s source program last fall with students unable to attend the event. non-profit organizations, according to Ebony water and finished drinking water leaving the plant from Fisk University and Ten- have been selected as scholars lege. “Tougaloo College has magazine. do not contain lead, according to the release. nessee State University, both to participate in the American an established history of pro- On Feb. 20, the Eureka Arts Federated Club, Lead enters the water from the corrosion of ma- in Nashville. Heart Association’s program,” Club We are so pleased that four said Dr. Beverly W. Hogan, Tougaloo Water Continued on page 11B of our high achieving students president of Tougaloo Col- Continued on page 11B Continued on page 11B Canton Public Visit “Hallowed Tyson to receive Share this issue with a friend Schools salutes Grounds” during ‘Sidney Poitier by mailing it to: Supt. Williams Black History Award’ Inside Month Page 8A Page 1B Page 14B LOCAL 2A • THE MISSISSIPPI LINK FEBRUARY 25 - MARCH 2, 2016 www.mississippilink.com Dad, other black contractors helped shape Jackson’s skyline By Hugh Latham Special to The Mississippi Link The construction of the skyline of Jack- son used the hard work and talents of many small black contractors. After World War II and through the 1980s, these contractors poured concrete, laid brick, plastered, hung sheet rock, painted, framed and supplied most of the manual labor in the actual creation in most Jackson landmarks. From high-rise build- ings, shopping centers, office complexes, hospitals, housing subdivisions, and many more, black contractors supplied the Baptist Medical Center Marriott Hotel skilled craftsman and manual manpower. W.L. Latham Sr. My father, W.L. Latham, was one of these contractors who poured concrete for projects in Jackson, Hinds County and across the state. From my childhood through high school, my summers were spent watching and working with my fa- ther and my seven brothers as we poured concrete on all types of projects in the area. Brothers Ameen Abdur-Rashied, Hugh As I look back over my father’s accom- Merit Health Central Hospital Alexander Hall at Jackson State Latham and Fritz Latham plishments, I am amazed that this hap- pened against the backdrop of legal and older brothers were from my father’s first also some that would tell my father they was performing. ly in my presence. The check was written cultural segregation in Jackson during the wife, but because they call my mother, knew it was wrong but could not openly But on one Saturday morning when I and the owner drove off. 1940s through the 1970s. Mother, I did not realize they had a differ- challenge the status quo. was in high school, my father asked me to My father and I climbed into his truck My father was well known by many of ent mother until I was in about the seventh My sister, Arenthia, told the story about go with him to measure the weeks’ work and drove home. Not a single word on the the white construction companies in the grade. the night at the height of the time when on a subdivision he was pouring south of what had just happened was exchanged area, and because of this, he had to walk My brother, W.L. Latham Jr. (Frank’s Freedom Riders were active in the state. Jackson. We had just finished measuring, between us. It was not until I was in col- a fine line on what they knew. He like so World Famous Biscuits), ran a restaurant My father took her to a gas station on Ter- and I had figured up the bill of little more lege when I asked him if he remember the many others who depended on getting for many years in Jackson. My brother ry Road. He introduced her to a white gas than $2,000. The owner drove up in a new incident. He turned to me and gave a big contracts had to be careful on what infor- John tells the story of how he and Junior station operator, and she was instructed Cadillac and lowered his window. He took smile. mation was disclosed about his involve- were coming from a juke joint in Vicks- that if she needed a place of safety, she out his checkbook, but before my father The photos accompanying this story ment in the civil rights movement. burg and got stopped by a state trooper could give him an amount, he had a joke represent some of the buildings where My youngest brother tells the story of name Giggie Martin.